BATON ROUGE – A House committee narrowly approved two measures Monday setting limits on the use of cameras posted to catch and issue tickets to motorists who speed and run red lights.

One bill, House Bill 801 by state Rep. Jeff Arnold, D-New Orleans, prohibits the placement of the cameras on state highways. Because many major city streets are technically state highways, municipal officials Dee Stanley, chief administrative officer for the city of Lafayette, East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Kip Holden and Baker Police Chief Mike Knapps, whose department profits from the cameras, opposed the legislation.

Stanley said the bill would "gut the program in Lafayette."

For example, if cameras would not be posted on state highways, lights could not be posted on Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Bertrand Drive, South College Drive, University Avenue or Simcoe Street. They could, however, post lights on city roads that are federal highways, like Johnston street, Evangeline Thruway and Cameron Street.

Although cameras could be posted on Johnston Street, they could not be used on its extension, Louisiana Avenue.

Lafayette cameras in the past seven years have improved traffic control, and motorists are warned about the cameras at intersections, Stanley said. Some still ignore the warnings, he said, and a pair of retired police officers review photos and film of possible infractions to determine if they are serious enough to warrant tickets. Offenders have a chance to challenge citations.

Rep. Steve Pylant, R-Winnsboro, said he believes that "boots on the ground" (police officers in person) are the best way to enforce traffic laws. Pylant, who voted for the bill, is a former sheriff.

Rep. Terry Landry, D-Lafayette, told the committee, "I've been blessed with one of those tickets. But let me tell you what the result was: It changed my driving behavior."

Landry, a former Louisiana State Police superintendent, voted against the bill.

Another provision of Arnold's bill is that speeding tickets would not be issued for going less that 10 mph over the posted speed limit, except in a school zone.

The committee also approved with an 8-7 vote a second Arnold bill that calls for adding one second to the yellow cycle on traffic lights. He said that gives more time for drivers to clear intersections and avoid getting tickets.

Opponents said that would only encourage people to speed through intersections trying to beat the light.

Both bills go to the House floor for debate. Committee Chair Karen St. Germain, D-Plaquemine, broke a tie vote, saying she wanted to allow the whole House to vote on the measures.

In Lafayette

From the beginning of the Safespeed/Safelight program in 2007 until January 2013, red-light cameras resulted in 77,000 tickets at red lights and 326,0000 speeding tickets. The fines raised more than $12.3 million, of which Lafayette Consolidated Government's share was about $6.8 million.